C. H. “Punch” Dickens makes the first airmail flight into the northern part of western Canada on January 23, 1929. The route runs from Fort McMurray to Fort Simpson.
A monthly service is opened from Fort McMurray to Herschel Island via Aklavik and Mackenzie River on November 26. Between December 10 and 30, 2 Bellancas are employed by W. R. “Wop” May and I. Glyn Roberts to carry mail (a remarkable 120,000 letters) the 1,676 miles from Fort McMurray to Aklavik; this is the first official airmail flown in the Canadian Arctic and is a 17-day, multistop undertaking.
A scheduled service is operated in early 1930 between Lethbridge and Edmonton via Calgary. On November 25, the company is one of several merged to form Canadian Airways, Ltd.
COMMERCIAL AVIATION COMPANY (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (1927-1934). Late in 1927, Capt. H. C. Miller founds the Commercial Aviation Company (Pty.), Ltd. at Adelaide. With financial support from Sir MacPherson Robertson, Miller purchases a de Havilland DH 61 in the spring of 1928; it is christened Old Gold and employed to inaugurate thrice-weekly and weekly, respectively, Adelaide-Renmark and Adelaide-Mount Gambier services.
Aroute is established to Broken Hill in 1929; Adelaide-Port Pirie service is started in 1930 and Whyalla is added to the route network in 1931. A Fokker Model 4 Universal is purchased in 1933.
Robertson subsidizes the start of weekly Fokker service on January 19, 1934 over a route Adelaide-Kimba via Port Pirie and Whyalla. As a result of the investment, the carrier’s name is now changed to the Mac-Robertson-Miller Aviation Company (Pty.), Ltd.
COMMODORE AVIATION (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (19791986). Privately owned, this commuter operator is formed at Port Lincoln, South Australia, in January 1979. Employing a Cessna 402 and a Piper PA-23 Aztec, nonscheduled charter services commence in March. Once government permission is received, scheduled flights are able to begin on May 23 over a route from Adelaide and Ceduna. During the next two years, the fleet is upgraded by the addition of 3 Cessna 337s; Minlaton and Streaky Bay are added to the route network.
In 1981-1983, another Cessna 402 and a Piper Navajo are acquired. Following the failure of Trans-Regional Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. in 1984
The company enlarges its service area to include Broken Hill, Leigh Creek, Penneshaw, Port Augusta, and Whyalla.
Unable to fiscally handle the expansion, Commodore is forced to shut its doors in 1986.
COMMUNITY EXPRESS, LTD.: United Kingdom (19941996). Brian Day establishes Community Express at Bristol’s Lulsgate Airport in July 1994 to offer scheduled domestic commuter services. A significant 49% minority shareholding is taken by the U. S.-based Mesa Air Group. Mesa executives Robert Dynan and W. Stephen Jackson are named to CE’s five-member board of directors.
Plans are announced for the inauguration of four-times-a-day round-trips between London (LGW) and Birmingham.
After considerable start-up difficulty is resolved, a single Shorts 360100 is leased from Mesa during the summer of 1995. It is employed by the 30-worker company to inaugurate the four daily flights in November from Birmingham and East Midlands to London (LGW).
A second chartered Shorts 360 enters service in the spring 1996, followed by a pair of leased British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31s, one each in May and June. These initiate new services from London (LGW) to Bristol and Cardiff.
The added capacity and destinations cannot reverse a decline in fortunes. In September, the carrier halts service and is placed into receivership. During the 9 months of the year it has operated, CE transports a total of 24,745 passengers.
COMMUTAIR: 518 Rugar Street, Plattsburgh, New York 12901, United States; Phone (518) 562-2700; Fax (518) 562-8030; http:// Www. commutair. com; Code TH; Year Founded 1989. Following the sale of Brockway Air to Metro Airlines, unemployed officials of the former, led by Anthony von Elbe, establish Commutair at Clinton County Airport in Plattsburgh, New York in late spring 1989. Von Elbe becomes chairman/CEO, with John A. Sullivan Jr. as president. A contract is negotiated with USAir and a fleet of 9 Beech 1900Cs is acquired.
“USAir Express” feeder flights begin on August 1 from communities in northern New York, including Syracuse and Albany, and throughout New England to the major’s hubs at Boston and New York.
By year’s end, a total of 31,724 passengers have been transported.
The fleet is increased in 1990 by the addition of 3 more Beech 1900Cs. Passenger boardings accelerate to 237,801. Thrice-daily “US-Air Express” service is initiated in September 1991 from Boston to Binghamton and Utica, New York. In December, an order is placed for 20 Beech 1900Ds.
The company’s 18 Beech 1900s haul a total of 342,899 passengers, a boost of 44.2%. Revenues are $29.64 million.
Nine Beech 1900Ds join the fleet in 1992. While on initial approach to Saranac Lake, New York, on a January 3 service from Plattsburg, a Beech 1900C with two crew and two passengers strikes a 2,280-ft. wooded mountaintop near Gabriels and crashes (two dead).
The first of 20 Beech 1900Ds is delivered in August. Customer bookings rise 12.5% to 385,609 and revenues ascend 27.7% to $41 million.
In 1993, airline employment stands at 175 employees and the fleet totals 23 Beech 1900s. Passenger boardings climb another 26.5% to 487,983.
Four additional Beech 1900s arrive in 1994 and help customer bookings to advance 12.7% to 550,174. The workforce is 280 in 1995 as one more Beech 1900 enters service. Enplanements jump 11.5% to 613,576. Operating income of $61,240,348 is generated.
The employee population is increased by 13.8% in 1996 to 370 and the fleet now comprises 19 Beech 1900s. Passenger boardings accelerate 10.5% to 662,568 and revenues jump 23.3% to $79.84 million.
On February 27, 1997, USAir is renamed USAirways and “USAir Express” becomes “USAirways Express.” During the remainder of the year, Chairman/CEO von Elbe’s regional will begin to paint its aircraft in a modified version of the major’s new grey and dark blue livery.
Customer bookings inch up 0.2% to 663,954, while operating revenues 2.9% to $77.8 million.
Flights continue in 1998. The fleet at the beginning of the year includes 30 Beech 1900Ds. Passenger boardings fall 6.1% to 635,729. Revenues slide to $76.4 million.
Passenger boardings fall 3.4% to 601,000. Operating revenues advance 7.8% to $82.43 million as expenses climb 9.8% to $69.93 million. At $12.41 million, the operating gain is nearly level, but net profit rises to $11.49 million.
On June 15, the carrier signs a comprehensive marketing agreement with Continental Airlines under which it becomes a “Continental Connection” carrier before the end of the year. The carrier serves notice on September 12 that it will end its ‘USAirways Express’ relationship in December.
World History
